Folding table leg



sept. 25, 194s.

E. H. MAYER FOLDING TABLE LEG4 a f 1h 515mm. /6 ma INVENTOR Zarza/Ji @erPatented Sept. 25, 1945 UNITED PATENT OFFICE FOLDING TABLE LEG Y ElinorH. Mayer, Sarasota, Fla.

Application September 3, v1943', Serial No. 501,083k

9 Claims.

My invention relates to what are commonly called folding tables i. e.ltables having legs which are so connected to the top frame that theycan be folded compact-,1y against'the top 'in' one position for storageand shipment and readpable of withstanding rough treatment withoutdamage. o

Another object is to provide a construction which places a minimumstrain upon the table top.

Another object is to provide a construction' which can be readilyapplied to conventional table top frames.

The preferred-form of the device includes (a) a bracket which affords ahinge support for the leg and a hinge support for (b) a swinging linkwhich connects lthe leg Ato the bracket, (c) a spring pressed latchhinged tol the leg` and adaptedl to interlock with the link and (d) astop plate carried by the leg andv abutting against thebracket when theleg is extended. 'I'he bracket is adapted to be secured within the frameof the table top so that the leg when folded up lies alongside of oneside of the frame beneaththe top. The base of the latch and the stopplate may be formed of a single piece of metal. Fig. 1 is a verticalsectionalview ofa fragment of a table top and showing aside view of aleg connected to the-frame and extended in the position for use. Y

. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken looking toward the right side of theleg of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but with the l additional supportfor'the plate.

The wooden leg I4 has a hinge plate I5 secured to it by screws I 6 andhinged to the pin I'I. 'I'he hinge or loop portion of said plate ispreferably located at the end ofthe leg thereby affording A link orlocking bar I8 is hinged at I9 to an extension lug 20 at a lower cornerof the bracket.y Ther other end of the link I8 has a slot 2I` in whichslides a pin or screw 22 carried by the leg I4.

The rlatch 23' is hinged to a plate 24 which is secured to the leg byone or more screws 25, This latch is pressed by springs 26 toward thelink I8 and has a projecting lug 21 adapted to engage andhold the linkI8. In the folded position this lug extends into the slot 2| as shown inFig. 3 and in the extended position it projects alongside the link asshown in Fig. 1 to hold the leg extended.

The latch has a suitable finger piece 28 by which it may be actuated torelease the lug from the link. vA spring 29 may be secured to the leg inposition to engageV the underside of the table top so as to tend toforce the leg toward the extended position when the latch is released.

The plate 30y secured to the leg by screws 3| has lugs or shoulders 32adapted to abut against the lower-end 33 of the bracket when the legisfully extended. v

`It will be noted-that the stress applied to the lug- 21Il`when attemptis made to extendit from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig, 1 is ina direction longitudinal of the link I8 and edgewise tothe lug il` andthe latch 23. I therefore preferito provide anges 34 to reinforce theplate 24- and support the latch. It will also be noted that the stressapplied to the lug 21 when attempting to fold the* leg from the positionof Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 3 -is in a direction at substantially rightanglesfto that above mentioned. Actuallycthev two functions are`performed by two different parts of the lug 211.- In fact there mightvbe two separatellugs', one to hold the legfolded and the other to holdthe leg extended. v l

The hinge plate I5 and a portion of the supporting plate 30 are shapedto t between the spaced side walls of the bracket I0 when the leg is inextended position; that is, the side edges of the plate I5 slidablyengage and contact the inner surfaces of the bracket walls as viewed inFig- 2, and the side edges of the portion of plate 30 above the lugs 32slidably engage the inner surfaces of said bracket walls adjacent thebottom thereof and are in contact with the corners of said bracket wallswhen in operative position.

By reason of this construction, a rigid metal-tometal support isafforded, and at'the same time Y jamming of the Wooden leg between thebracket Walls caused by expansion'of the Wood is prevented.

frame of the table, a leg hinged to the bracket,`

a locking 'bar hinged to the bracket and having a pin and slot slidingconnection With the 1eg,

and a latch hinged to the leg and having proajecting means interlockingwith the locking barV-` in the folded position of the leg'and iny itsexl vp 15 tended position.

2. A table leg hinge construction*comprising` a socket type bracket forattachment-to the top frame of the table, a leg hinged tothe bracket,

a locking bar hinged to the bracket and having a pin and slot slidingconnection with the leg, 'a Vl'atchhirlged t0 the leg and"havin'g"'pr`ojectingA means interlocking Withthe locking bar inthe Yfolded positionof the leg and in its extended'position and separate spring means forpressing the latch against the 'locking' bar.

i 3. A table leg hinge construction comprisingv a socket type bracketVfoi' attachment to thetcp frameY of the table, a leghingedto thebracket, a locking bar hinged tothe bracket and having a slidingconnection with the leg, a latch hinged to the leg and having projectingmeans interlocking-with the dlocking banin the folded lposition andV inthe extended position anda stop platey carried by the leg abuttingagainst thev bracket in the extended positionof the leg.Y i

4. A table leg hinge construction comprising al bracket forattachment tothe Vtop frame of the tablesaid bracket having spaced parallel wallsforming aY socket, a leguhinged teVV the bracket,v a locking barhinged/to the bracket and'extending along theleg and having a pin andslot sliding connection with Vthe leg',Y a.v support-(secured to the'leg,V a latch hinged to the support and having projecting meansinterlocking v vith ythe locking' bar in the folded `position and intheextended` position and` a ,Stop Carried bythe supportabutting-against the bracket when the leg', isrextended. Y

. 5. A table leg hinge construction a bracket forjuattachment tothetopframe ofthe '2,385,717 fr j g c the top and means for holding the leg inupright and folded positions consisting of a locking bar hingedlysecured at one end to the bracket and slidably secured at its other endto the leg and a springrpressed latch adapted to engage said lockingybar in both positions of the leg.

7. A table comprising a top, a' plurality of legs Y for supporting saidtop, a hinge connection between each leg and the Ytop including abracket secured tothe top, a hinge plate secured to the leg and hingedlyconnected'to the bracket adjavcent said top and means for holding theleg in upright and folded positions consisting of a locking bar hingedlysecured at one end to the bracket and slidably secured at its other endto the leg,

a--spring pressed latch adapted to engage said table, said brackethaving spacedv parallel Wallsv forming a socket, a leg hingedtothebrackets.V locking bar hingedr to the bracket and extending along theleg and having a pin `and slot sliding connection with the Vleg and alatchk hinged to the leg and carrying asingle lug interlocking with thelocking bar in thefolded position of the leg and in its extendedposition.,

A6; Awtable comprising a top, a plurality of legsfor supporting saidtop, ahingeconnectionbe" tweengeach leg and lthe top includinga bracketsecuredfto Vthe top, `a hinge platek secured to thev leg and hingedlyconnected to bracket adjacent locking bar in y,both lpositions of theleg Vand a and' adjacent the top when the leg is in upright positionforreleasing the holding mechanism. v

8. `A table comprising a top, a. plurality. of'legs for supporting's'aidtop, a hinge connectionibetween each leg and the top including a'bracket secured to thel top, ahinge'platesecuredto the leg and hingedlyconnected tothe bracket adjacent said top and means lfor holding the,leg in upright and folded positions consisting of a locking,Y barextending along said legY and hingedly secredf at one end tolthebr'acketandV slidably secured'a't its 'other' end to the leg', aspring pressedlatch having a lug adaptedV to engage said locking. bar in bothpositions of the leg, .a finger piece on the latch positioned adjacentthe top whenr the e leg ism/upright position for releasingthe vvholdingmeans and a separate spring betweerr the` frame" Dertien formihg'siolrlers,v a bracket .fas-

tened to said'rame portion within the confines thereof ateach corner andprovided vvithspaced parallel Walls forming `a socket portion( a legmember hinged to said bracket and having its hinge line positionedwithin said socket portion, a 45 iirst-named platea projectinglug onsaid latch-y ing plate,av finger piece on said latching'rplateandrforming an extension thereof and being posi-- -tioned adjacentthe/lower edge pf the frame portionjwhen the leg is in extendedposition, ja, lockv ing-barghinged atone end to ,said Vbracket andhaving a slot slidably connectedto the pin on said leg, Ysaid .lockingbar and hinged latch being so pcsitioned relatively ythat the projectinglueY on said latch 'engagesgthe edge of,said4 bar when v the leg is inextended position and engagesthe coV

